The concept of the bug out bag is that you have a satchel packed for
emergencies. When said emergency occurs you’re then ready to BUG OUT!

I have to break in and say that I have two running thoughts going on here.
One is about bug out bags as it pertains to writing. The other thought is
the impracticality of the bug out bag in a true survival situation. I
don’t know if I can merge the two or not.

As it relates to writing I’ve started to think about maybe carrying one
computer all the time, but how I should also feel comfortable with maybe
having a second computer that I bug out with. The whole reason for this
mind exercise is that I have two computers well suited to the experience of
writing, with minimal internet distraction. But both computers have strong
points.

The Toshiba Portege is strong. The Portege battery is good for about 70
minutes. It wins hands down in lightness, as I think it weighs about a
pound and a half. The downsides is that the mouse click button is hidden
in plain sight and my thumbs just can’t find it. This next trait is bad
and a negative. The linux operating system is lean and stable, the standby
mode is good. The choice in word processors is not awesome and i’ve hit
some walls trying to get other packages to properly expand on the build.
Slightly above my paygrade-and annoying. The Windows XP build is rock
solid, with a near perfect hibernate state and has word. I have no
complaints about windows xp, it kinda messes with my head, like i’m in the
way back machine, but otherwise it is all good. The deal breaker is quite
possibly the lilliputian mouse pad and button.

The Apple powerbook is totally... Ok. I don’t know about the titanium
powebooks, but all the apple laptops bother my forearm; what’s up with the
sharp edge? Part of me thinks i’m allergic to aluminum, but the
polycarbonate macbooks are also annoying and hurt my wrist. That is the
first downside. Battery life is a bit better on the powerbook, like an
hour and a half. Standby mode is nearly magical on the apple, though if
i’m going to be honest, Apple standby feels better, Windows hibernate
though maybe is more stable, by a hair. The Apple has the glowing apple,
the screen feels really great on the eyes, it isn’t retina, but it feels
damn nice. And I have every port I’d ever want. I suffer from faberge egg
syndrome though when I carry the apple, i totally hate the thought of
scratching or messing it up.

So I think I can benefit from both computers. On a day to day basis I
seem to be picking up the power book and not the Toshiba. But I have this
cute baby messenger that the portege and not much more can fit in and I
just really think i can grab it and go. I can’t grab the powerbook and
just go.

If i had to bug out in real life, the portege would be more practical.

If we have to bug out we are dead. Bugging out... Dude. There is no up
side to it. My survival instinct is strong, but outside of my will to
live, do I really have any interest running from place to place?

From a concept of writing though, bug out for me translates to just being
able to write anytime. I mean, what i’m trying to do is build back my
writing voice. This entire exercise is all about finding a voice to to
convey my thoughts. I’ve lost so many of the things which made my previous
perspective and defined my voice, time to build something new. I attempted
poetry a few nights ago, no luck. The role that technology plays in how we
express ourselves, now that is a interesting conversation piece. I grew up
desperately wanting a computer, as we were people of humble means my first
computer ended up being a smith and corona word processor. All I wanted to
do was write and that is all I think I want to do these days...